Measuring conduit lenghts of feeders

[ohmhead]

Well when you measuring multiple runs do you measure each conduit and total your length?

Do you measure the longest one of the set of paralleled runs and order that length instead of measuring each one ?


What do you use on your jobs to measure with? Do you reuse true tape over and over or do you just use new tape every time ?


Just wondering what other companys do and who do you trust to measure you copper runs ?

 

[brian john]

Well when you measuring multiple runs do you measure each conduit and total your length?

Parallel feeders?

Do you measure the longest one of the set of paralleled runs and order that length instead of measuring each one ?

Longest one? They all should be very close to the same length!

What do you use on your jobs to measure with? Do you reuse true tape over and over or do you just use new tape every time ?

True Tape or what ever and if True Tape chuck it, more trouble than it is worth to reuse.

Just wondering what other companys do and who do you trust to measure you copper runs ?

ANY AND ALL MECHANICS, if they can't get that right dump them, heck you have more worries with the minimum wage cable cutters at the supply house.

 

[Cow]

We use measuring tape on long runs or runs with big wire. Trash it after, it isn't worth the hassle to reuse. Same with poly string.

On runs a 1000'+ we usually order an extra 20-30 feet just to be safe. We can always reuse the scraps for short runs between panels etc.

 

[brian john]

On runs a 1000'+ we usually order an extra 20-30 feet just to be safe. We can always reuse the scraps for short runs between panels etc.

I'd rather have 20-30 feet extra than be 1" short.

 

[ohmhead]

Well Brian if one measures each parallel run lets say 14# 4 inch conduits to service .

Each run will be different length by say 1 foot or two foot in some cases more do to underground work and how one can come into bottom of switch gear .

If you can measure each run you actually save lots of dollars by dividing the total footage of all measured runs by the amount of conduits of that group.

Were saying lots of extra wasted wire thats not ever going to be used .

If one does this you will save money on projects less scrap more dollars for your company .

Yes multiple conduit runs into a switchboard thats what were talking about copper wasted that does not have to be i see it everyday most guys just measure one run mostly the longest and call it a day but the company pays for this

We work only power distribution so we measure lots of conduits each year and this process has made us lots of dollars the total scrap wire now for us is one foot on each end and were never short .

True tape is a time wasted process and the rolls are not cheap.

 

[infinity]

True tape is a time wasted process and the rolls are not cheap.

True tape is expensive when compared to #14 wire but not when compared to the large conductors you would be pulling in a 4" conduit. Besides that you need to pull something in the conduit anyway.

 

[Mgraw]

What do you use on your jobs to measure with?

If the run is under 240 feet I use a klien steel fish tape, it is marked every foot. If its over 240 feet I use string.

 

[ohmhead]

True tape is expensive when compared to #14 wire but not when compared to the large conductors you would be pulling in a 4" conduit. Besides that you need to pull something in the conduit anyway.

Well this is what iam getting at you need to pull a string in but its easy to just vacuum in a polyline instead of a metal fish tape marked with footage or true tape . And on a large job we have hundreds of feeders think how much time is saved if you just measure the string vacuumed in and you have a measurement then your done .

If you measure hundreds of conduits with a metal fish tape labor is lost time is money .

If you measure with true tape or mule tape its a waste of money and time .

It only takes 27 seconds to get a line in 450 feet but it takes lots of time to push a fish tape in any size conduit even at 200 feet .

 

[jmellc]

Well this is what iam getting at you need to pull a string in but its easy to just vacuum in a polyline instead of a metal fish tape marked with footage or true tape . And on a large job we have hundreds of feeders think how much time is saved if you just measure the string vacuumed in and you have a measurement then your done .

If you measure hundreds of conduits with a metal fish tape labor is lost time is money .

If you measure with true tape or mule tape its a waste of money and time .

It only takes 27 seconds to get a line in 450 feet but it takes lots of time to push a fish tape in any size conduit even at 200 feet .

Good idea. Do you have a convenient way to measure the string? I don't know of any jet line or other string that is marked. Laying it out and measuring takes lots of time too. Is there a small counter that could be mounted to the conduit or bucket to count as it goes in? That would be a great thing to have.

 

[480sparky]

.......... Is there a small counter that could be mounted to the conduit or bucket to count as it goes in? That would be a great thing to have.

That's exactly what he has.

 

[roger]

Sorry guys, this thread was started in an effort to advertise a product, and advertising is not allowed per the forum rules so it is time to close it.

Roger